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Nightengale: These Fenway boos have sweet sound

BOSTON - The sound was charming and beautiful, reverberating Monday behind the pillars at Fenway Park, echoing underneath the rafters, all of the way out to the Green Monster. Boos. Lots and lots of boos. They

BOSTON - The sound was charming and beautiful, reverberating Monday behind the pillars at Fenway Park, echoing underneath the rafters, all of the way out to the Green Monster.

Boos.

Lots and lots of boos.

They were directed toward the Boston Red Sox, and in particular, starter Clay Buchholz, pounded by the Baltimore Orioles in the shortest outing of his career at Fenway Park.

And with that, this city's return to normalcy seemed complete.

You sensed it with the crowds already lined up at 7:30 a.m. outside the neighborhood bars. You felt it with spectators already gathering at the Marathon finish line on Boylston Street. You could see it with a sellout crowd waiting to pour through the Fenway Park turnstiles for the traditional 11 a.m. Patriots Day game.

And, oh, did you hear it Monday from the crowd of 37,513, watching the Red Sox lose, 7-6, recovering from a six-run deficit, only to squander glorious opportunities.

If the Red Sox's World Series championship run helped heal a city from the Marathon bombings of a year ago, perhaps their performance in their annual Patriots Day game evoked a final chapter to the saga.

"You know, after all the talk and buildup,'' Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia told USA TODAY Sports, "it felt like a normal baseball game. The fans here obviously want us to win, and when we don't play well, they let us know it.

"And that's fine.''

Indeed, as any Red Sox fan can tell you, you can be disgruntled at times with the Old Towne Team, but in the end, you still love them.

"A family doesn't always agree, right?'' catcher David Ross said. "You can have turmoil in your own family, but still love each other at the end of the day.

"It's a love-hate thing. They love you with a passion, but when you mess up, they're going to get on you.

"That's kind of the relationship that Boston has with the players, and the players have with Boston.''

This community, grateful for the Red Sox's selfless acts with their hospital visits, charitable donations and pitch-perfect ceremonies honoring victims and heroes, streamed into Fenway Park ready to party.

They cheered when Marc Fucarile walked onto the field to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to former Red Sox hero Kevin Millar. Fucarile, who lost his right leg in the bombing, even got married last week at Fenway Park.

They applauded when the scoreboard displayed that Meb Keflezighi won the men's Marathon, and went bonkers moments later when it was revealed that he was an American.

They celebrated wildly when a group of four police helicopters hovered briefly over Fenway Park.

They even broke into a wave while the Red Sox batted in the eighth inning, which quickly turned to boos when a botched hit-and-run resulted in an inning-ending double play.

And in the ninth, with the tying run at third base and the winning run at second, they groaned in unison when Mike Carp grounded out to first, slamming his helmet in anger.

Normalcy never felt so good.

What's a few boos when you can have a day like this?

This city, on Patriots Day, once again was vibrant, colorful and full of life, for the entire world to see.

Oh sure, the Red Sox won't lie to you, this is a game they wanted to win. They felt helpless a year ago when the bombings tore apart this city, sitting on buses headed out of town to Cleveland. They wanted this one for the memory book, the first Patriots Day game since the terrorist attack.

"It was a letdown for us, and I'm sure them,'' Ross said. " They're paying their hard-earned money. They hate it when we play like that.

"When you don't give them a better show than that, they're not afraid to tell you.''

Yep, just like ol' times.

It was no different in the questioning after the game. Buchholz was second-guessed for spending the night at Fenway Park with teammates John Lackey and Mike Napoli, instead of simply going home before Sunday night's game to get a good night of sleep.

"We gave him the option,'' Farrell said. "We don't force it on them.''

Buchholz, who refused to question his choice, says he simply didn't want to fight the morning traffic with street closures prompted by the Marathon. He had plenty of time to catch the end of the race if he desired. He lasted just 2 1/3 innings, and departed amid boos and a 6-0 deficit.

So, with the ring ceremony, White House visit and Patriots Day past them, the litmus test begins Tuesday night with the first-place New York Yankees coming to town.

Surely, the crowd will boo new Yankee center fielder and old Red Sox veteran Jacoby Ellsbury. Along with Derek Jeter, retirement or no retirement. And anyone else who is dressed in pinstripes.

It's Yankees-Red Sox, and any of those feelings that were suppressed for the past year, can now come out in full force.

"We wouldn't have it any other way,'' Red Sox left fielder Jonny Gomes said. "The passion here, is just different. You're not just playing for Red Sox fans. You're playing for Red Sox Nation.

"You can't help but feel that way.''

And now, after a year where greater meanings became attached to much of what they did, it felt good for a game to feel like just one of 162.

"We're not going to forget what happened,'' said Ross, who walked outside Fenway Park to cheer on the Marathon runners. "We will always have those memories. What happened here, what everyone went through, changed my life. I have never been a part and felt so close to a city so fast.

"Now, we're getting some normalcy back. It sure feels good.''

GALLERY: Patriots Day at Fenway Park

Boston Marathon bombing survivor Marc Fucarile throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. (Photo: Tommy Gilligan, USA TODAY Sports)

Good samaritan Carlos Arredondo walks onto the field as part of pregame ceremonies honoring the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings prior to the game on April 20, 2014. (Photo: Bob DeChiara Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

Perennial Boston Marathon competitor Dick Hoyt pushes his son Rick onto the field during a pre-game ceremony to honor the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings victims, survivors and first responders on April 20, 2014. (Photo: Brian Snyder, Reuters)